Okla-homey
5/2/2008, 06:47 AM
May 2, 1863: Lee and Jackson sneak up and beat a Hooker senseless at Chancellorsville
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8107/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz28.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Thomas J. Jackson
On this day 145 years ago in Virginia, Lieutenant General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson administers a devastating defeat to the Army of the Potomac in the last major Confederate victory in the eastern theater during the Civil War. In the most stunning upset of the war, a vastly outnumbered Army of Northern Virginia sent the Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Joseph Hooker, back to Washington in defeat.
http://img349.imageshack.us/img349/8339/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz15.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Joe Hooker. He loved whiskey and women. Before being given the reins of the principle Federal army and while commander of the Washington military district, he allowed large numbers of prostitutes to set-up shop in the city to service his soldiers. These women were called "Hooker's Army." Legend has it that is the source of the name "hooker" for "working girls."
Hooker, who headed for Lee's army both confidently and numerically superior, had sent part of his force to encounter Lee's troops at Fredericksburg the day before, while the rest swung west to approach Lee from the rear.
Meanwhile, Lee defying the odds, did something not found in any playbook. He divided his numerically inferior force in the face of the enemy. Lee visibly left part of his army in fortified positions at Fredericksburg while secretly moving the rest of his troops to confront Hooker near Chancellorsville. When the armies collided on May 1, Hooker withdrew into a defensive posture.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/9528/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz29.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
At right (east at Fredericksburg) the original positions are depicted. A. Observe Hookers blue force moving to the west to take Lee from the rear. B. Lee's first split was to meet that Federal movement. C. Lee's second split was to peel off Jackson's corps to move in a buttonhook to the south and west against that force and surprise it with a devastating flank attack.
Sensing Hooker's trepidation, Lee split his army a second time when he sent Jackson along with 28,000 troops on a swift, 14-mile march around the Union right flank. Splitting his army into three parts in the face of the mighty Army of the Potomac was a bold move, but it paid huge dividends for the Confederates.
Although Union scouts detected the movement as Jackson swung southward, Hooker misinterpreted the maneuver as a retreat. When Jackson's troops swung back north and into the thick woods west of Hooker's army, Union pickets reported a possible buildup; but their warnings fell on deaf ears.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/7960/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz26.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Oliver Howard. He wasn't prepared for the coming flank attack of Jackson's "foot cavalry" and got his arse handed to him.
In the evening of May 2, Union soldiers from General Oliver Otis Howard's XIth Corps were casually cooking their supper and playing cards when waves of forest animals charged from the woods. Some noticed and commented on the fact deer, bunnies and other creatures came barreling through their camps but no one freaked. They did freak when behind the four-legged creatures emerged Jackson's attacking troops "a whoopin'-and-a-hollerin'." The Federal flank crumbled as Howard's men were driven back some two miles before stopping the Rebel advance.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/6577/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz25.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Jackson's corps burst out of the woods and rolled up the Federal XIth Corps for two miles before darkness and fatigue halted the route.
Despite the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, US forces soon gained the upper hand in the war in the eastern theater. Scouting in front of the lines as they returned in the dark, Jackson and his aides were fired upon by their own troops. We now know they were Tarheels from Norse Cackalackey. Jackson's arm was amputated the next morning, but he never recovered. He died from complications a week later (probably pneumonia), leaving Lee without his most able lieutenant.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/6195/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz24.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
You can visit Jackson's arm buried near the site of his greatest victory.
http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/9853/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz14.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The rest of Jackson is buried in Lexington VA near VMI where he spent much of his adult life teaching.
Hooker lost his job and would be replaced just before the next big fight by the stoic and capable George Meade.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8055/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz27.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
George Meade. His men called him "Old Snapping Turtle." He would remain in command of the Federal Army of the Potomac for the rest of the war. Even when Grant was placed in overall command in the East, Meade remained in command of this army because Grant trusted him to follow orders and fight when necessary.
The two armies would next meet in a decisive battle two months later in July at a small Pennsylvania town called Gettysburg. Cornfed apologists generally maintain G-burg would have turned out differently if Jackson had been with Lee. All I know for sure is that if Jackson had, he would have smelled pretty bad having been dead for two months and exposed to that intense Pennsylvania summertime heat. ;)
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7717/insane7zo6mq.jpg
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8107/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz28.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Thomas J. Jackson
On this day 145 years ago in Virginia, Lieutenant General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson administers a devastating defeat to the Army of the Potomac in the last major Confederate victory in the eastern theater during the Civil War. In the most stunning upset of the war, a vastly outnumbered Army of Northern Virginia sent the Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Joseph Hooker, back to Washington in defeat.
http://img349.imageshack.us/img349/8339/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz15.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Joe Hooker. He loved whiskey and women. Before being given the reins of the principle Federal army and while commander of the Washington military district, he allowed large numbers of prostitutes to set-up shop in the city to service his soldiers. These women were called "Hooker's Army." Legend has it that is the source of the name "hooker" for "working girls."
Hooker, who headed for Lee's army both confidently and numerically superior, had sent part of his force to encounter Lee's troops at Fredericksburg the day before, while the rest swung west to approach Lee from the rear.
Meanwhile, Lee defying the odds, did something not found in any playbook. He divided his numerically inferior force in the face of the enemy. Lee visibly left part of his army in fortified positions at Fredericksburg while secretly moving the rest of his troops to confront Hooker near Chancellorsville. When the armies collided on May 1, Hooker withdrew into a defensive posture.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/9528/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz29.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
At right (east at Fredericksburg) the original positions are depicted. A. Observe Hookers blue force moving to the west to take Lee from the rear. B. Lee's first split was to meet that Federal movement. C. Lee's second split was to peel off Jackson's corps to move in a buttonhook to the south and west against that force and surprise it with a devastating flank attack.
Sensing Hooker's trepidation, Lee split his army a second time when he sent Jackson along with 28,000 troops on a swift, 14-mile march around the Union right flank. Splitting his army into three parts in the face of the mighty Army of the Potomac was a bold move, but it paid huge dividends for the Confederates.
Although Union scouts detected the movement as Jackson swung southward, Hooker misinterpreted the maneuver as a retreat. When Jackson's troops swung back north and into the thick woods west of Hooker's army, Union pickets reported a possible buildup; but their warnings fell on deaf ears.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/7960/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz26.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Oliver Howard. He wasn't prepared for the coming flank attack of Jackson's "foot cavalry" and got his arse handed to him.
In the evening of May 2, Union soldiers from General Oliver Otis Howard's XIth Corps were casually cooking their supper and playing cards when waves of forest animals charged from the woods. Some noticed and commented on the fact deer, bunnies and other creatures came barreling through their camps but no one freaked. They did freak when behind the four-legged creatures emerged Jackson's attacking troops "a whoopin'-and-a-hollerin'." The Federal flank crumbled as Howard's men were driven back some two miles before stopping the Rebel advance.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/6577/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz25.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Jackson's corps burst out of the woods and rolled up the Federal XIth Corps for two miles before darkness and fatigue halted the route.
Despite the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, US forces soon gained the upper hand in the war in the eastern theater. Scouting in front of the lines as they returned in the dark, Jackson and his aides were fired upon by their own troops. We now know they were Tarheels from Norse Cackalackey. Jackson's arm was amputated the next morning, but he never recovered. He died from complications a week later (probably pneumonia), leaving Lee without his most able lieutenant.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/6195/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz24.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
You can visit Jackson's arm buried near the site of his greatest victory.
http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/9853/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz14.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The rest of Jackson is buried in Lexington VA near VMI where he spent much of his adult life teaching.
Hooker lost his job and would be replaced just before the next big fight by the stoic and capable George Meade.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8055/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz27.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
George Meade. His men called him "Old Snapping Turtle." He would remain in command of the Federal Army of the Potomac for the rest of the war. Even when Grant was placed in overall command in the East, Meade remained in command of this army because Grant trusted him to follow orders and fight when necessary.
The two armies would next meet in a decisive battle two months later in July at a small Pennsylvania town called Gettysburg. Cornfed apologists generally maintain G-burg would have turned out differently if Jackson had been with Lee. All I know for sure is that if Jackson had, he would have smelled pretty bad having been dead for two months and exposed to that intense Pennsylvania summertime heat. ;)
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7717/insane7zo6mq.jpg